Safety Awareness Tip
Extreme Cold Safety
When extreme cold arrives, there are many
challenges to staying safe. It is important to take
extreme cold seriously and minimize your risk of
exposure.
Preventive Action is Your Best Defense
Prepare your home and car in advance for coldweather emergencies:

Winterize your home by insulating, using
weather stripping and caulking, and installing
storm windows.

Create a home emergency kit that has enough
supplies for three to seven days.

Keep antifreeze and windshield washer fluids at
proper levels in your car and have a full tank of
gas.

Carry a vehicle emergency kit that includes
warm clothing, a blanket, a scraper, a shovel, a
flashlight with extra batteries and jumper cables.

If you must go outside, make it brief and avoid
physical exertion, as cold weather puts extra
strain on the heart.
Wear several layers of loose-fitting clothing:

Outer layer—Wear a coat made from a tightly
woven fabric that is wind- and water-resistant.

Inner layer—Fabrics like wool, silk or
polypropylene hold more body heat than cotton.

Wear a hat, a scarf to cover your face and
mouth, mittens and water-resistant boots.

Remove extra layers of clothing if you feel too
warm, as excess perspiration can increase heat
loss.
Frostbite
Frostbite is the most common injury resulting from
exposure to severe cold. It is an injury to the body
that causes a loss of feeling and color in affected
areas, usually the fingers, toes, ears, nose, cheeks or
chin. Any of the following signs may indicate frostbite:

White or grayish-yellow skin area

Skin that feels unusually firm or waxy

Numbness
At the first sign of redness or pain on your skin,
return indoors, as frostbite may be beginning.
Hypothermia
When exposed to cold temperatures, your body
begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced
and the result is hypothermia, or abnormally low body
temperature. It may make you unable to think clearly
or move well, so it is particularly dangerous because
you may not even know you have it. Hypothermia
can also occur at cool temperatures if a person
becomes chilled from rain, sweat or submersion in
cold water. Any of the following signs may indicate
hypothermia:

Shivering

Exhaustion

Confusion

Fumbling hands

Memory loss

Slurred speech
Drowsiness

Avoid wet clothing, which loses 90 percent of its
insulating value.


Shivering should not be ignored; it means your
body is losing heat.
You should seek emergency treatment immediately if
you think you may have hypothermia or frostbite.

Do not drink alcoholic or caffeinated beverages,
which cause your body to lose heat more
rapidly.
For more information, visit www.AUS.com/Tips

Don’t forget to bring your pets indoors!
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